bound to obferve in teftimony of his faith;it were impoffible for him to make any proposals which, upon all accounts, fhould be more advantageous to his interefts,-than thofe very conditions to which we are already obliged; that is, to deny ourfelves ungodliness, to live foberly' and righteously in this prefent life, and lay fuch reftraints upon our appetites as are for the honour of human nature, the improvement of our happiness, our health,-our peace, our reputation and fafety.When one confiders this reprefentation of the temporal inducements of christianity, and compares it with the difficulties and difcourage. ments which they encountered whot first made profeffion of a perfecuted and hated religion;-at the fame time that it raifes the idea of the fortitude and fanctity of thefe holy men, of whom the world is not worthy, it fadly diminishes that of ourfelves,-which, though it has all the bleffings of this life apparently on its fide to fupport it,-yet can scarce be kept alive;--and if we may form a judgment from the little ftock of religion which is left,-fhould God ever exact the fame trials,-unless we greatly alter for the better,—or there should prove fome fecret charm in perfecution, which we know not of. It is much to be doubted, if the fon of man should make this proof, -of this generation,-whether there would be found faith upon the earth. As this argument may convince us,-fo let it fhame us into virtue, that the admirable examples of those holy men may not be left us, or commemorated by us to no end ;but rather that they may anfwer the pious purpose of their inftitution,to conform our lives to theirs,-that with them we may be partakers of a glorious inheritance, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. SERMON XXII. Penances. I JOHN V. 3. And his commandments are not N° grievous. O, they are not grievous, my dear auditors.-Amongst the many prejudices which at one time or other have been conceived against our holy religion, there is fcarce any one which has done more dif honour to christianity, or which has been more oppofite to the spirit of the gofpel, than this, in express contradiction to the words of the text, |